Is Gog Emerging

“And I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them." – Ezekiel 39:21

Three words that people often times forget about when they think of the Lord: “smite”, “wrath” and “forsaken”.  Perhaps because we don’t want to think about that part of God’s character because it creates fear and requires that we actually try to abide by His guidelines.  There is references throughout the scriptures that God is Holy, Perfect and Righteous and at the same time Vengeful, Jealous and Omnipotent.  As such, as is demonstrated in Kings and Judges and throughout much of the Old Testament; He has very little tolerance for those that choose to refuse Him and the love He has offered to the world. 

  In the times before the Messiah came to the earth, mankind dealt with the realization that there was a God through the Prophets: Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Zephania, Zecharia and Malachi just to name a few.   They were intercessors and communicators from God to the children of Israel and Judah, delivering instructions on how to live within God’s plan, and what would happen if they did not.  Kings, Priests and Governments listened intently to their every word to better understand how to serve the one true God, or in some cases how to battle against His people.

  So, did God’s character change?  Is God still a God of wrath, judgment and vengeance?  The answer is unequivocally – Yes.  The book of Revelation was revealed to John, the beloved, while banished to the prison Isle of Patmos.  In this book Jesus Christ, Himself, reveals to John what will happen in the last days.  War, pestilence, suffering, death, destruction and inhumane acts from one upon another will envelope the earth and those that remain during the tribulation.  There is much discussion on whether that includes or does not include the believers and followers of Jesus Christ.  Many, including myself, believe we will be taken up before the tribulation, but there are just as many that believe we will all go through tribulation and then be drawn up.

  The reality is that the day is coming that God will unleash His wrath once again upon the earth’s inhabitants that have refused to accept His love and saving grace.  The time is coming when according to Ezekiel 38 and 39, we will see God, Himself, defend Israel in a manner of such magnificence that all mankind will know that it was God and nothing else.  As tensions mount in the Middle East, are we nearing the realization of a prophecy from 2700 years ago before our very eyes?  As we watch the unveiling of events in the high tension areas of the world, one must wonder if we aren’t drawing ever so near to the last days. 

  This then begs the question about your own salvation.  Should war break out in the Middle East, and God shows His wrath upon those that attack Israel, where do you stand in your belief and relationship with Jesus Christ?  Based on the current tensions in Russia, Syria, Turkey, Iran all surrounding Israel; war is very likely.  Will it take the actual realization of this war to convince you that the Bible and all that is within is God’s own Truth revealed through man?  If you reference other prophecies from Ezekiel, Isaiah, Daniel or others, you will find the majority have already come to be.  Is that enough to convince you of His existence?  What is it that you are waiting for?  

  God’s wrath and judgment are very real and will bring bitter pain and suffering to those who refuse to follow Him.  The scriptures of war, destruction and vengeance in the Old Testament are all the proof you should need that mankind cannot withstand the wrath of God and I can only believe that come tribulation and ensuing judgment day will be greater than anything recorded in the scriptures of old.  You are right in fearing God, but you are also covered by the grace and love of Jesus Christ as your mediator and intercessor between you and God.  He has taken the wrath intended for you and I and carried it to the cross where He became the sacrifice for our iniquities.  Therefore, we will not receive the full wrath of God as we deserve, as those in the Old Testament did (reference the Midianites, those in Sodom and Gomorra, and the Philistines).  We experience the full love, grace and mercy of the Lord in our life, because we follow the One True Messiah – Jesus Christ. 

Finding Peace

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"for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape." - 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3
 

 War abounds in the world we live in. Many eyes are upon the Middle Ease as tensions continue to escalate and violence continues to ensue.  It is hard to think about the millions of soldiers from all countries that put their lives on the line every day. They do this in the search for freedom and peace. Yet I look at the agendas of the individual governments, cultures, religious perspectives and financial stabilities and see no way to ever achieve this peace. For one country to gain freedom, another country must repress their perspective of freedom. In the act of war there is seldom a winner, for thousands of lives are lost and massive destruction covers the landscape.

So, the question, "Is peace achievable in this lifetime?" or are we all kidding ourselves. There is much talk in many political forums around the globe for peace. Seeking through discussions and negotiations the framework of a peace agreement - to the point that all parties walk away having gained enough to claim victory. Is it conceivable that this could happen on a global basis to the point that all governments, financial constituents and military forces could come to an agreement and compromise that calmed all of the strife in the world? Wow, it's unfathomable to contemplate such a utopia isn't it?

  In today's scripture, 1 Thess 5:2-3, we find Paul writing to the believers in Thessalonica a letter of encouragement in their new Christian walk. It was written around 52 AD, some 25 years or so after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ walked the earth and for his 3 year ministry taught about love, peace and a servant's heart. These messages are no less true today than they were at that time, and the problems are no less complex.

At that time, amongst other nations - the Romans, Greeks, Jewish and Assyrian nations were all at war over politics, culture, power and religion. Certainly our world is more complex because of the technology advancements, but the word of Jesus Christ is still the only answer to the problems we face. Love thy neighbor, live in peace with your brother and serve with humility for our rewards are not of this world.

  As our nations seek peace and safety through negotiations, I pray that they are able to instill these principles from 2000 years ago in an attempt to bring calm before the storm. For mind you what the tail end of this scripture states, "destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape." If you aren't reading the news of late with an eye towards the Biblical writings, you should. Do your part my friends in upholding the values and principles for which Jesus Christ died. One by one, perhaps we can make a difference that impacts the nation you live in, and eventually the world. Be blessed.

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For an archive of Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

God, We Need You

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“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” – Jeremiah 32:17

Look around you at the calamity, the pain, hurt and depression around the globe.  Watch the news and see the devastation in countries far and wide – the wars, the economic unrest, the hatred between people of different cultures and ethnicity.  As you sit with your cup of coffee in the morning and jump on Facebook or e-mail or read the morning paper, observe the seriousness of the problems facing this global society.  Now, look at our leaders in every nation, political body, corporation and Province and ask yourself this one very basic question:
     “Do I trust that they know what they’re doing and will be able to pull us out of this mess?” 

You can’t sit on the sidelines and wait for someone to jump in and “save” us all from the downward spiral we have started on.  This is not the time to sit back and observe.  Your life today is not the same as it was 5 years ago, 10 years ago or 20 for that matter.  The world has changed dramatically, not because of any one event, but a culmination of things that when connected over a period of 20 years have brought us to a point of apathy and self preservation.  We look out for ourselves and hope that someone else is looking out for the world’s issues.  We hear the news, but don’t react.  The unbelievable economic melt down on a global basis has never been so prominent at the same time before.  It’s not an American problem, Greece problem, China problem, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Korea, Syria, Turkey, Egypt, Libya or Israel problem.  The problems are extremely complex and impact all of us as our lives are so intertwined and connected in this 21st century world.  The reality is that the smartest men in the smartest business schools and the wisest of the wise don’t have answers this time around. If you pull a piece of thread in one country to solve the problem there, it is unraveling a dependency 5000 miles away in another country, which in turn reacts and begins a domino effect across the globe.

 I no longer trust in man to solve these problems.  Presidents, Prime Ministers, Dictators, Generals, Parliament, Congress, PhD’s and Professors and so on are not consistently cognizant of the ever present sovereignty of God Almighty and His plan for this world.  I don’t have answers or even an inkling of understanding of the idiosyncrasies and dependencies of how we are woven together on a global scale.  What I do have though is a faith in God above that He knows it all.  He is sovereign and in His own way knows exactly how everything is connected in His overall plan.  I do believe He has a plan, and perhaps that plan, as it was in many Old Testament references, is to allow us to reach the point of destruction and devastation that we will turn back to Him.  As long as our leaders continue to try and solve these global problems independent of the Lord’s will, calamity and strife will continue to escalate. 

If you are waiting for someone to step up and save this world with their brilliance, knowledge and charm; I believe you will be waiting a very long time, and should be highly skeptical of the person you are putting your faith in.  God knows what is going on, and will bring an end to the pain and suffering in due time.  Perhaps it is near the end, or perhaps it is another clearing of the chaff as He has done in the past; but I trust that He is the only answer in today’s world.  I am not depressed nor dismayed by today’s problems.  I am concerned and heartbroken that our leaders are not turning to God for answers though.  There seems to be so much confusion between our leaders in regards to God that there is little ground for coming together as one body.  You and I on the other hand represent a much larger body of believers and with the strength, grace, love and sovereignty of God almighty we can come together and stand up for righteousness, justice and His eternal plan of salvation in today’s world.  These problems don’t fix themselves, it takes participation from the people with a passion for seeing it through.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com